Autogrip form-truck.



il@ @FATES -ATN OFFIE.

ELMER M. COBB, 0F SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR 'IO SOUTI-IWORTH MACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AU'rosnrr FORM-TRUCK.

incense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1914.

Application filed January 16, 1914. Serial No. 812,568.

the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts in each of the several views.

The present invention relates to trucks more especially for printers uses and while having other and more general fields of usefulness it is well adapted .for handling printers forms or chases to move them conveniently from one part of a printing office to another. The trucks for this purpose that have been heretofore used, have generally been of a type wherein the form or chase would rest loosely upon the truck with a consequent lliability of disarrangement or displacement o-f the truck under the chase as it is moved along and a consequent likelihood of accident and trouble.

The prime object of the present invention is to provide an improved truck wherein a seat is provided on which the chase may rest,

and when so resting is automatically gripped and held securely in the position where it is placed so long as it rests on the truck, the construction being such that the heavier the form, the greater will be the gripping or clamping pressure exerted thereon.

According to my invention means is provided whereby the form as it rests on the truck is gripped automatically at definite substantially separated points between a fixed wall or jaw and a movable swingingy jaw wherein forms presenting uneven or, tapering surfaces may be securely grippedE and wherein the grip or hold of the jaws upon the form is not liable to be broken or` released by the swaying or swinging movement from sideto side of the chase or form" while being conveyed along over rough orl uneven floors or surfaces. To attain this end 1 preferably provide vxed abutments orf lugs at opposite sides of the respective ends of the form seat on the truck body, and arranged for coperation therewith, movable jaws having `form gripping portions adapted to localize the gripping action of each jaw adjacent and opposite a xed abutment or jaw at the respective ends of the formf seat. It is to be understood that where reference is made to a printers forni or like expression as the article to be handled by the present truck, this is merely illustrative and -intended to typify any article adapted to be handled and conveyed bythe truck construction shown.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed descriptionl taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

, Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved truck; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a central vertical section on line m-:r of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a plan view with parts broken away, showing the special adaptability of the device for clamping irregular or taperingi` work. f

he body of my improved truck is indicated at 10 with a flat normally horizontal top on which the form may rest and with pairs of upstanding lugs 11, 12 at its ends,

the lugs of each pair being spaced aparta distance to permit the chasey to be inserted therein, the inner vertical walls 13 of these lugs guiding the chase to proper seating position. The intermediate portion of the body 10 between the upstanding lugs 11, 12 is cut away at each side to afford space for positioning blocks 14, 15 which are pivoted on pivot pins 16 journaled yin the body, so as to swing between the end lugs 11, 12. yThese blocks 14, 15 serve both as axle carrying elements for the truck wheels and also as clampingl jaws for automatically gripping the chase when it is rested on the body. For this purpose the blocks 14, 15 are formed with lateral hubs 17 intermediate the length thereof, thesey hubs having oppositely facing sockets 18in which the threaded ends of the axles 19 of wheels 20 are screwed.

The threaded ends of the axle 17 are preferably reduced to form shoulders that abut against the outer faces of the hubs 17 to effect a clamping action on the threads and locking the axles against displacement when set up. j

It is to be observed thatthe pivot pins 16 are below the hubs 17, and I also form as `a part of the blocks14, 15 parallel jawsl 21 that likewise extend up from the pivotpoints 16 substantially filling the space endwise between the lugs i1, 12, and having a fange "ssl petentelly pienortienel te the. wei-slitV off tbe of swinging movement laterally so that when opened they Will permit a printers chase-to -be inserted therebetweenl to resten the body l0, but when svvung'inthey will pressupon and grip the sides of the chase strongly to hold the same from displacement, relative to the truck.

For getting a better hold on the sides of the chase which is indicated at ain dotted lines, and especially to permit the secure .clamping-.of irregular ortapering forms, I

preferably provide projecting' ribs or .bulges f on .the jaws 21..,thesebulges being' formed atv .opposite ends of the respective jaws. p .Tiene these projeetene. 22..eonstitnte the reel yeiize'etive clamping portion of .the j avv and the form is hence clamped essentially at two substantially separated points, f .61', 'between the projections l22. et tbe end of the. I'eSPeeytive"jews endltbe opposite .less orv boeking Pieeee il, 12,. .reepeetively- Thus es beet` vsh'ovvn in Fig. 4E, the .trunk iselamped to the .foim'eeennely bv tbe grip v.inns obteined at these Substantially eepeioted peinte even though the sid-es ofthe' form may be irreguor. tapering, sine there issnicient clean. ance afforded by the bulges 22. so. that irregularitiee, r.oi-.Smell projections in. tbe inteivvInediete pontion oftbe tonni Sides will not Contact with the'res't of the jaw faces in a` :manner to. peinlit env pi-votinf-i movement ol". looseneee ln `titiller wonde `tbe gripping notienlobtoinedie Substantially tieni ef .iWO independent Speeed eport yolanipin means noting et one vend ofone `jow Vend et t e. .other end.l of the other jew against-tbe odjoeent -ixed ebiitnient `o1? lng 1.1, reSPeetively--.

As .besteeen from. le ooinperisjon .of Figs. 2 `end 3.; tbebnbsll? nndiews 21 ene-rele.- tiveli7 .arranged ,end eottbat. when tbe Ijews one pressed. ontwoitd with. e .obese betweeil` tbenn. the hubs are Snbstentielly .horizontal .and in .filinement,A .while when the jews are eollepsed tbe liebe. oenverge Somewhat ne .seen in,l Fig.1 2, the .extento such convergenoe. being .det.eineined by? the .point at vvbieb .tbe blooke 1d., 1.5. will strike the. sdesoftbe body-r `.It will tbns be observed tbet. tbe liebe. i7 with the wheelexlee i9 extending therefrom; .in .eoninnotion with tbe. iewe 2l .ell intesinlly earned. .on tbe pivots 516..

Jetitnief'in. .elieet levers. wbieb when 'the wheels reet on tbe.. door tense.v the jews to grip the sides. ofjtbeobeee with .e forte. subebeee .this gripping, beine notonly of .e selieeting' entere es. the.. obese. is rested.' on'. tbe titoli. but. also Self-releasing Wbenit. ie. .ete .be liftedtherei'ron'n.V i It ie .desirable to. pnovide ineens. wbeseby tbe. selffgrippins-aotion ottiie. jews.. to, Leonie .extent will be. fexelited on. tbe obese ne it is nesittin.e.d.v inits tbetrnele regex dlees .of Whether. tbey truel: in; beating tlievvogb-t of tbe. obese ernot, fendi 'feif 'this Purpose. I

'below the pivots 16 and fit between these yextensions a compression spring 24vvhich exerts its pressure to move 'these extensions apart and thus press the jaws 21 together. In this Way the truck may be applied to the vedge of the chase in proper position to bear the Weight thereof before it is rested on the fioor. to be conveyed to its destination.

l do not desire to be limited to the preoise details of constrnctiongor combination of yelements shown, since these can jbevaried -witbent departing freno the. .Spirit oi tbe .in` vention and I therefore refer to the ap.- y.pended Claims. rather than to the. foregoing deseription to indicate the scope of the invention. l

Having described my invention, what I .claim asnevv and desire to. secure .by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the kind described, eo.; miei-ne: e tvuek body beving poire et .toed .nnetendns luge et its. .ende epeeed eport te receive ay forni between them, and blocks pvoted foi*-l aetion vbetween said. lugs., equipped with axles having Wheels fitted jthereto and oleo with. clamping jaws ex? tendine np frein the pivot peinte in position. to prese upontbe sides. oie forno les, ,it positioned on. tbe body between said ings, vSeid jaws having one et one. end ond tbfe Yother et its, other endpfoieetng, poitiens .adapted to ooaet with eneppeeiteend lngvto co-act with said xed jaws. respectively .to giipn form at. localized. i and' definite .spaced apart points. es it. 'rests on. said lSent for the purpose stated;

` A device of. tbeldnddesonibedyeoin.-

jews bovins forni .engnsinspoitiene odefpted .prising a .trtiok body eerriedion wheels, seid 'wheels having'pivotnl. mountingspenniitting limited swinging .movement transversely of ttbe. tniek, -enid .inenntinse being-else iorined with .elenlpng j awe. to engage. aldiorin `on ltbe .truok arrenged. to be .actuated Iby the weight .of the. foiinyond spring ineens. for acting-.on

.Seid Inonntings. to..l .canse soidinws to stip e ,forum therebetween independently of the gravity notion. .of-tbe. forni;

il A'devce. ofthe kind deseribedpoom prieing e. trnolpbody oerrieden Wheels .Seid

wheels. ,heaving inonntings. pvoted .to permit limited Swinging movement ttenevereelv of the tinlok, seid inonntings beng'formed .with jaws. for demping a. iolrn resting on. the Ltrnek bytheweiglit thereo. andalsohaving depending spaced apart extensions, and a spring mounted between said extensions for acting on said mountngs to cause said jaws to press against a form held therebetween independently of the gravity action 'of the form.

5. A truck comprising a body, and spaced apart clamping means consisting in a jaw fixed to thebody and a relatively movable jaw and carried thereby, each of said clamping means being automatically operative to clamp at separated points irregular or tapering surfaces resting on the truck and hold the same automatically gripped rigid with the truck.

6. A truck comprising a body mounted on wheels, said wheels having mountings for limited pivotal movement transversely of the truck, and spaced apart clamping means each consisting in a jaw fixed to the body and a relatively movable jaw connected' with the respective wheel mountings and operative to clamp at separated points irregular or tapering surfaces resting on the truck and hold the same automatically gripped rigid with the truck.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence ofV two subscribing witnesses.

ELMER M. COBB.

Witnesses GEORGE H. WEEKS, CLYDI L. ROGERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

